The Bruins' star placed the blame for his and the team’s downfall squarely on the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, where he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that led to hospitalization, which led to Boston being left out of the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

After suffering a shoulder injury and infection during the 4 Nations Face-Off, Charlie McAvoy reflected on the toll over the last two months.

McAvoy’s condition was the result of a painkilling shot he took after the Americans’ 6-1 win over Finland on Feb. 13. It eased the discomfort of the shoulder injury he suffered that day and allowed him to play in the United States’ 3-1 win over Canada two days later.